In Lieu of Lurking

[DarwinStrings]

Martin's lurker post has had me realise that I have not posted for quite some time so I thought I would show off the current build.

I do find building electrics a little, well, less challenging than acoustics so I came up with a design that would give me something to think about while building a copy of my favorite electric.

I have seen quite a few telecaster alikes with figured tops but usually there is something covering the figured wood or the neck pup is mounted in the full pocket with gaps around it unlike the close fitting of the pick guard around the pup. The other way I have seen it done is to have control cavity hatches on the back like a Gibson but I did not want that either.

I still wanted that Tele image though and the pick guard is so much a part of that that I wanted to get it in somehow without covering expensive figured wood, the other more simple demand I put on the build was Australian native timbers but still keeping that maple necked Tele look as well as a headstock that does not step on Fender's design ownership.

So here is the headstock with what I feel is at least a 25% change

DSC02360.jpg (115.14 KiB) Viewed 19132 times

Silver ash neck with Australian ebony marker dots

DSC02357.jpg (129.15 KiB) Viewed 19132 times

Faraday cage cause once the top is glued on that wouldn't be real easy.

DSC02320.jpg (76.19 KiB) Viewed 19132 times

DSC02321.jpg (60.92 KiB) Viewed 19132 times

Rebating the purfling to define the pick guard shape ( the only non Aussie wood)

DSC02334.jpg (81.21 KiB) Viewed 19132 times

Checking to see if I can get all the gear in through the bridge pup cavity before I glue that top down

DSC02329.jpg (85.34 KiB) Viewed 19132 times

Pick guard area masked off and a couple of coat of lacquer on the rest

DSC02362.jpg (93.37 KiB) Viewed 19132 times

The rest masked off and a bit of black tinted lacquer to further define the pickguard

DSC02363.jpg (104.49 KiB) Viewed 19132 times

Close up, I may still take a bit of black off, lighten it a bit maybe.

DSC02365.jpg (87.32 KiB) Viewed 19132 times

The body is a bit of gum tree front and back and Aussie red cedar in the guts.

[seeaxe]

That's pretty cool, I must say. Love the no-pick-guard pick guard!,

[needsmorecowbel]

Real Nice execution!

Stu

[kiwigeo]

Nice work as always Jim....

[Bob Connor]

Very clever pickguard Jim

[DarwinStrings]

Cheers guys, I reckon I might be having almost as much fun building this as you did on that intonation jig Martin, after seeing your thread I think I might eventually get on to one.

[kiwigeo]

Cheers guys, I reckon I might be having almost as much fun building this as you did on that intonation jig Martin, after seeing your thread I think I might eventually get on to one.

LOL......the intonation jig is a fiddly piece of kit..Im still trying to fine tune a few aspects of the jig to make to easier to use and more accurate. Hand cutting the fret slots on the jig introduces significant error which Im currently addressing my switching to a set up where theres a single fretboard and the frets are adjustable. The action adjustment screws are also getting some fine tuning...at the moment the screws have a tiny bit of play in them which is affecting the scale length of the jig when I adjust the action.

[DarwinStrings]

Oh and Stu, I had a guy in the other day who is a retired art teacher he liked your print as much as I do.

[needsmorecowbel]

Hehe Cheers Jim! I've got a few artistic things in the works at the mo will keep you posted

Stu

[DarwinStrings]

Spray time, today I put the first build up of paint on, added a little colour to the neck, gloss on the top all the rest satin.

telecaster figured.JPG (101.31 KiB) Viewed 18707 times

telecaster figured 2.JPG (130.99 KiB) Viewed 18707 times

[Hank]

loving the look and ideas, how you gonna adjust the neck?

[kiwigeo]

loving the look and ideas, how you gonna adjust the neck?

Unless you can get a special spanner down to the adjuster you take the neck off and then do the adjustment.

[routout]

I have had a tele like this for few years fallen over knocked about weighs like 4 bricks neck is thin aint moved yet,just did another the same

[DarwinStrings]

Yep Martin, Hank, no special spanner so remove the neck. It is a Mark Blanchard differential rod, so nice fine adjustment(not the "group buy" China made one) He high strength brazes them rather than welds them now and all S.S. parts